UPDATE: Southampton Village Detectives Open Investigation Into Tuesday Night's Fights Following Boys Basketball Game

Herm Lamison, who is both the varsity boys basketball head coach and Detective Sergeant of the Southampton Village Police Detective Division, described Tuesday night's scene following his team's game as "chaotic," but that the post-game altercation happened after the game was called. In fact, his players were in the locker room when multiple fights had broke out in the gym.

"Both teams had already shook hands as we addressed sportsmanship—some kids embraced each other," he said. "It was in the locker room with my players that I was alerted that there multiple fights and, once my kids are safe, I have to turn my attention and run the criminal investigation and try to restore order and settle things down as best we can.

"None of my players were involved in the fights. They were in the locker room," Lamison confirmed. "There were Wyandanch players involved in the fights."

Lamison confirmed once again that none of his players were given technical fouls during the game.

After reviewing the current footage he has, Lamison said it appeared that Wyandanch spectators and a few players charged across the gym from where their fan section and team bench is located and became entangled in fights near the exit of the gym. Lamison said that he knows of two people who were taken to the hospital by private vehicle due to the altercation.

"We are seeking people with cell phone video, or from any other recording device, because we do have multiple complainants who received injuries, and if we identify the individuals who caused those injuries, those individuals could be charged," he explained. As to whether or not racial epithets were said before or during the incident, as some media outlets have reported, that has yet to be determined, Lamison said.

"I haven’t seen any indication of that. I don’t know where that’s coming from," he said. "I can't control how people deal with the information that's in front of them. We deal with facts. We don’t work with anything beyond the facts."

As far as his basketball players, since they were not involved in the fights, they are physically and emotionally okay, although they did suffer a 76-64 loss at Bayport/Blue Point on Thursday night to fall to 8-7 in League VI.

"If anything, our players were excited on Tuesday night that we clinched to get into the playoffs. The game was meaningful to both teams," Lamison said. "So moving forward there should be no residuals about it. We lost last night so we weren’t happy about that. We're just going to try and improve going forward. We have one game left and finish the season at Shoreham. Going to try and get that W and play a little more consistent."

UPDATE: Friday, 12:33 p.m.

The Southampton Village Police Detective Division has opened up an investigation into the multiple fights that occurred on Tuesday night directly following the boys basketball game between host Southampton and Wyandanch.

According to a release that was sent out on Friday by the detective division, Southampton Village Police arrived at Southampton High School at approximately 7:58 p.m. after receiving multiple 9-1-1 calls of a large group of people fighting in the school's gym. Upon arrival, the release said, members from the Wyandanch team and their spectators became involved in multiple fights with spectators from Southampton. Security, staff and coaching personnel from Southampton were able to restore order as police arrived on the scene. The incident lasted approximately 15 to 20 minutes and multiple injuries were reported.

Detectives are asking anyone that may have video footage of the incident to forward it to them and anyone with additional information to call Southampton Village Police at (631) 283-0056.

UPDATE: Thursday, 12:03 p.m.

Southampton Schools officials clarified their initial statement on Thursday. Security footage and other available video was not in fact shared with Wyandanch School District or anyone else and will not be shared due to students privacy laws that prevent them from doing so, officials said.

School officials also continue to be vague regarding the exact details of the fight that occurred, from where it happened—in the stands or on the court—and who exactly was involved, whether it was coaches, players or fans.

ORIGINAL STORY

Tempers flared and a fight broke out on Tuesday night in the final minutes of a League VI showdown between the Southampton and Wyandanch boys basketball teams on the Mariners’ home court.

No major injuries were reported, but police were called to the scene after the referees decided to call the game with 26 seconds remaining. Southampton was awarded the 80-74 win, improving to 8-6 in league play, 10-7 overall on the season, while Wyandanch fell to 5-9, 6-11 overall. The win clinched a spot in the Class A playoffs for the Mariners, while Wyandanch had already been eliminated from playoff contention. Mariner big man Micah Snowden led the team with 32 points, going 20 for 21 from the free-throw line, and added 24 rebounds, while guard Elijah Wingfield added 24 points and six assists.

On Wednesday, Southampton Schools Superintendant Nicholas Dyno sent a letter to parents in an attempt to “clear up any rumors and/or misinformation that may be circulating,” the letter said.

Referring to the game as “physical and highly intense,” Dr. Dyno said the drama started when a Wyandanch player was ejected in the fourth quarter, and several Warriors coaches received technical fouls and then refused to leave the court, which prompted a decision by the referees to end the game early. A total of five technical fouls were issued in the moments before the game was called, according to Southampton head coach Herm Lamison—one on a Wyandanch player, which led to his ejection, and four on the Wyandanch coaching staff. At that point, the letter said, several Wyandanch fans initiated a fight.

“Our security personnel were on-site and were able to calm the situation within less than five minutes,” the letter stated. “However, due to the nature of the situation and for the safety of our students, staff and spectators, police were called. There were no major injuries and all students are in school this morning.”

The letter went on to say that high school administration and personnel reviewed security footage and other available video and shared that footage with Wyandanch administration. No disciplinary action has been taken at this point, the letter said, but as investigation of the incident continues, disciplinary action could be taken if warranted.

Southampton is scheduled to round out the regular season games against Bayport and Shoreham/Wading River.

“Our security personnel were on-site and were able to calm the situation within less than five minutes,” 50 seconds of violence can feel like an hour. Did this really go on for 5 minutes? youtube clip?

"until his/her nineteenth birthday" means once they turn 19 they're ineligible. The full rule is: "A student shall be eligible for interschool competition until his/her 19th birthday. If the age of 19 years is reached on or after July 1st, the student may continue to participate in all sports for that year if the student is not in the 5th year of High School."

To your credit, there are waivers in place for kids who lost a year of eligibility for illness, accident, or other circumstances ...moreoutside of the kid's control.

Upon reading the first paragraph of this article, it gave me the impression that the fight broke out on the court among the players . Maybe the staff writer could take that small insert of “ the Wyandanch Fans initiated the fight” an include that in the first paragraph. Also, were any of the players actually involved in the fight? And if this all happened within 5 mins, no injuries reported an security personnel on site, was there actually a physical alercation? Or did security prevent ...morethat? Article seeems to vague .....

Makes sense.They wont release information to the public about ut the financial settlements they reach with departed administrators, so they should not release videos about students that are minors either.

We went to Wyandanch to play them in football in the late 80’s, i think my sophomore year. We lost the game badly. As we were leaving town on the school buses we had a brick thrown at our bus and a window shattered. One of our players was struck by the broken glass. They think they are tough over there in the whinedanch, some things never change...

I know Wyandanch are not angels, but this is going to be an eye opener to the Southampton community if they have not attended any southampton basketball (girls or boys) games or any football games. Some southampton fans are nasty and rude. From PAL football games to basketball games at SYS, all the way to HS. . I avoid going when I lived in southampton and totally avoid going now when my kids play southampton in these two sports. Many times the nasty fans I see acting up do not have any ...morefamily involved just mostly angry alumni who have nothing going on since HS.

Both Districts had safety staff on hand. The one thing no one can control is the emotions and anger from others. It is an unfortunate incident and some people will have to take responsibility for their actions.

As a Police Department Detective you should have known better than to allow the criminal element that resides in Wyandanch to even enter the town limits let alone interact with the students of Southampton. It's equivalent to sending Mormon Boys to the South Bronx. Think I'm wrong? Think I'm racist? It's merely the truth and the video simply backs up my statement. Who cares about these leagues and their rules, its a game. There are more than enough local schools to compete with. Taxpayers should ...moretake control over these schools that they fund and prohibit this stupidity! I deal with Suffolk's most dangerous criminals on an hourly basis. Yes, there are a few bad apples anywhere you go, but the constant flow of criminals from Wyandanch include gang members, drug dealers, gun runners, murderers, shooters, etc.... Think nobody in that crowd of visitors had a gun? I guarantee it. Think that no illegal substances were in the fray? Keep this garbage out of the community - it is not welcome!

That's a great idea! Perhaps the US Boarder Patrol and ICE should set up one of those checkpoints on 27 out in the Pine Barrens - just like they have on I-10 down south!OK Folks I'm being ridiculous to convey my point...If you KNOW that there is a decades long problem when ever these schools get together for sporting events - WHY IN GODS NAME WOULD YOU ALLOW THIS STUPIDITY TO CONTINUE??? For a sport? A title? School 'spirit'??? When a student or adult 'fan' wind up stabbed or shot and ...moredie in the parking lot of the school - NOW WHAT? We'll all wear ribbons, place flowers at memorials, create 'strong' hashtags on twitter.... If these two schools historically do not get along and demonstrate POOR SPORTSMANSHIP and their fans are acting like out of control savages, END IT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!! For those who got the point of my first post, Thanks.

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